http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
a generative perspective on linguistic typology
1 online resource (x, 278 pages) : illustrations
In this important and pioneering text, Frederick Newmeyer takes on the question of language variety. He considers why some language types are impossible and why some grammatical features are more common than others.
Preface; 1 On the Possible and the Probable in Language; 1.1 Introduction; 1.2 Possible human languages; 1.2.1 Formalists and functionalists on the notion 'possible human language'; 1.2.2 The problem of knowing what is possible; 1.2.3 Teaching 'impossible' grammars; 1.2.4 The problem of explaining what is possible; 1.3 Probable and improbable human languages; 1.4 Two methodological approaches to capturing typological generalizations; 1.5 Conclusion; 2 Parameterized Principles; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Early generative syntactic typology; 2.2.1 Syntactic typology and markedness theory.
2.2.2 Deep structure and typological consistency2.2.3 UG principles and the solution of typological problems; 2.3 The Government-Binding program for capturing parametric variation; 2.3.1 Luigi Rizzi and the parameterization of Subjacency; 2.3.2 The Government-Binding program and typology; 2.3.3 Some examples of GB parameters; 2.3.4 Predicting the clustering of typological properties; 2.3.5 The typological implications of the core versus periphery distinction; 2.3.6 Markedness relations within core grammar and typological inconsistency; 2.3.7 Mark Baker's Parameter Hierarchy.
2.3.8 Constraints on possible parameters2.4 Parameters and typology in the Minimalist Program; 2.4.1 Minimalist mechanisms and typology; 2.4.2 Kayne's antisymmetric program and typology; 2.4.3 Microparameters; 2.4.4 Summary; 2.5 Parameters, typology, and language acquisition; 2.6 Parameters, typology, and language change; 2.7 Conclusion; 3 Parameters, Performance, and the Explanation of Typological Generalizations; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Against a parametric approach to grammar; 3.2.1 The 'standard story' on the superiority of the parametric approach.
3.2.2 The deficiencies of parameter-setting models3.3 The irrelevance of typology for grammatical theory; 3.3.1 Typologically and linguistically significant generalizations; 3.3.2 Robust typological generalizations do not fall out from UG principles; 3.3.3 Typological generalizations are not reliably D-structure generalizations; 3.3.4 Simpler grammars are not necessarily more common grammars: The case of preposition-stranding; 3.3.5 Typological generalizations and 'knowledge of language'; 3.4 Hawkins's processing-based explanation of cross-linguistic variation.
3.4.1 Grammar as a conventionalization of performance preferences3.4.2 Efficiency and complexity in grammar; 3.5 Conclusion; 4 In Defense of the Saussurean View of Grammar; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Usage-based models of grammar; 4.3 The appeal of usage-based models; 4.4 Functional explanation is fully compatible with formal generative grammar; 4.5 Connectionism and usage-based models of grammar; 4.6 Full grammatical structure is cognitively represented; 4.6.1 A typology-based argument for full argument structure; 4.6.2 Matthew Dryer on the question of canonical word order; 4.6.3 Get again.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-258) and index.
New York : Oxford University Press, 2005